Honeywell's Colleen Szuch Honored by Pro Bono Partnership for 15 Years of Service

Updated on May 24, 2016

In April, Colleen Szuch, Chief Intellectual Property Counsel for Honeywell Performance Materials and Technologies accepted an award from the Pro Bono Partnership for her 15 years of service on its Board of Directors. The Partnership provides legal services to nonprofits. In addition to her Board service for the organization, Colleen served for several years as Treasurer, was a member of the audit committee and raised hundreds of thousands of dollars in support of the organization’s activities.

Honeywell was one of three companies that enabled the expansion of the Pro Bono Partnership to New Jersey in 2001. Since that time, the Partnership has provided free legal services to more than 1,002 nonprofits through more than 1,944 volunteer lawyers. Honeywell also has taken a leading role in assisting local nonprofits through what the Partnership refers to as a “Smorgasbonos”. A Smorgasbono is a one-day event that brings together volunteer attorneys and local nonprofit clients. The clients rotate through legal practice groups who address their pre-identified questions. A range of legal issues are addressed in the session, including contracts, corporate governance, intellectual property, internet and websites, as well as labor and employment, privacy and other matters.

Last year, Honeywell hosted the Smorgasbono at its headquarters in Morris Plains, New Jersey. Nonprofits that attended included Operation Chillout, Rainbow Childcare Center & Preschool, Bridge of Books Foundation, Passaic River Coalition, MTI Integrated Business Development, Equine Assisted Therapy of NJ, AngelaCARES, NewBridge Services, Green Centre Acres Foundation, Lunch Break and Sam Schmidt Foundation/Conquer Paralysis Now. These nonprofits would not be able to afford legal services without reducing funding to their programs.

Mark Nordstrom, Pro Bono Partnership Board Chairman and Senior Counsel - Labor and Employment Law for GE presented the award along with Nancy Eberhardt, Pro Bono Partnership Director for the New Jersey Program.